Let’s be honest — this dish isn’t going to be winning any beauty pageants anytime soon.  With it’s reddish-brown color scheme and thick, chili-like texture, this isn’t the type of recipe that turns many heads on Foodgawker or Tastespotting.  So, like a friend who’s just set you up on a blind date with an aesthetically challenged individual, I implore you to move past its humble appearance and try to get to know the soul of this comforting dish.

For me, this is cold weather fare at its best.  A warm, stick-to-your-ribs type meal that’s like a hug from a loved one.  Creamy lentils and sausages combine to produce a dish that is both high in protein and rich in savory flavor.  The best part? It’s cheap and simple to make.  In fact, you probably already have everything to make it your kitchen.  All you really need is a handful of lentils, a few sausages from the fridge, a leftover glass of wine, and you can have a filling and satisfying meal at a moment’s notice.  This is hearty food that reheats well and makes great leftovers.

If looks don’t matter, you might have found your new soul mate.

SAUSAGE AND LENTIL STEW

I like to use French green lentils in this recipe because they hold their shape and retain great texture when cooked for long periods of time.  If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to substitute brown lentils but expect a slightly different finished texture.  If you want a healthier version of this stew, omit the bacon and pour off all of the rendered sausage fat after browning.  If you decide to go down this route, simply substitute a couple of tablespoons of good olive oil before cooking the vegetables.  Feel free to use any herbs or spices you have lying around your kitchen.  I’ve made this with everything from rosemary to curry powder with excellent results, so experiment away. Finally, I’ve found that other sausages work well in this application.  Merguez and goat would also make for a stellar stew.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 slices smoky bacon
• 4 sweet or hot Italian sausages, cut into 1-inch pieces
  
• 1 cup petite French lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup diced carrot
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leave
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1 14-ounce can tomatoes, crushed
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 roasted red peppers, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• 4 sprigs of parsley
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  
• Chopped parsley for garnish

METHOD:

1. Set a large, heavy-bottomed pot over moderately-low heat and cook bacon until the fat has rendered.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot and set aside.  Increase the heat to moderately-high and brown the sausage pieces in the reserved bacon fat.  Be careful not to crowd the pot; fry the sausages in separate batches if necessary.  Once they are sufficiently caramelized (about 8 minutes per batch), remove the browned sausage pieces to a plate using a slotted spoon.
   
2. Lower the heat to moderate and add in the carrots, onion and garlic. Sauté until softened and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.  Add in the crushed red pepper flakes, bay leaves and thyme and sauté another 5 minutes.  Add in the red wine to deglaze and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with the back of a wooden spoon.  Allow the wine to reduce by half before adding the lentils, tomatoes, chicken stock, red peppers and parsley.
3. Add the cooked bacon and sausages back into the pot along with any juices that may have collected.  Stir to mix well and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer for an hour, or until the lentils are just al dente.  Stir occasionally to prevent scorching.
   
4. Stir in the balsamic vinegar and season the lentil stew with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

Serves 4

My friends were teasing me the other night for my frequent use of the word “unctuous” in some of my previous posts. I sure wish I had used a bit more restraint, because if there was ever an adjective to describe this lamb ragù, it would be just that. This is the kind of hearty pasta dish that I crave during the cold winter months. Not only does it fill your home with the warm, inviting scent of spice-braised lamb, but the resulting sauce is as fine as any you will find coming out of a restaurant kitchen. The best part? It can be made a full day ahead of when you plan on serving it.

This recipe is an adaptation of one I’ve made in the past from chef Andrew Carmellini of Locanda Verde in New York. Where the Food and Wine recipe calls for the use of ground lamb and a quick simmer, I opt to slow-braise chunks of lamb shoulder or stew meat over a few hours for a more rustic finished sauce. Either way you decide to go, you’ll find that the combination of the savory lamb ragù, creamy ricotta cheese and herbaceous mint is a truly spectacular one. It’s definitely worth your time to seek out pappardelle if you can find it at your local grocery store or Italian deli. The long, ribbon-like noodles are quite sturdy when cooked properly and provide the perfect companion for thick, meat-laden sauces like this one. If you’re a fan of lamb in any capacity, give this recipe a try — I promise you won’t be disappointed.

PAPPARDELLE WITH LAMB RAGÙ, RICOTTA AND MINT

The secret behind an intense, flavor-packed ragù like this one comes from the methodical layering of flavor. Take your time while searing the lamb, making sure to achieve a rich brown color on all sides before moving on to the next batch. I personally like to use bone-in stew meat for this sauce because the marrow and extra connective tissue contribute another dimension of lamby-richness to the final sauce — just be sure to remove any bones prior to dressing the pappardelle. Whatever you do, do not overcrowd the pan. You want the lamb to have the opportunity to fry in the olive oil, not poach in its own juices. I like to tie the thyme, rosemary and bay leaf together with a bit of kitchen twine for easy removal at the end of braising. When sautéing the vegetables, be sure to drive away as much moisture as possible before caramelizing the tomato paste and deglazing with the wine. This step ensures a deeper tomato flavor and helps promote the development of a rich fond. Finally, as with all pasta, be sure to boil the pappardelle in an abundance of well-salted water.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes or 3 pounds bone-in lamb stew meat
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 carrot, finely diced
• 1 rib of celery, finely diced
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 2 branches of fresh rosemary
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3/4 pound pappardelle
• 3/4 cup fresh whole-milk ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped mint

METHOD:

1. Preheat the oven to 300°. In a small bowl, combine the coriander, fennel and cumin to create a fragrant spice rub. Lighly season the lamb on both sides with Kosher salt and sprinkle the meat evenly with the spice rub.
2. Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over moderately-high heat. In batches sear the lamb on all sides until richly browned, about 10 minutes per batch. Remove the browned meat to a plate and repeat with the remaining lamb.
3. Add the carrot, onion and celery to the reserved oil/fat in the pan and sauté the vegetables until just beginning to brown, about 7-8 minutes. Stir often to prevent scorching. Push the vegetables to the side of the pot to create a hot-spot in the center. Add the tomato paste and stir constantly until it becomes a few shades darker and releases its bright red oils, about 3 minutes. Stir to combine the tomato paste and vegetables.
4. Add the wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Allow the wine to reduce until almost completely evaporated before adding in the tomatoes, stock, rosemary, thyme and bay leaf. Return the browned lamb to the pot along with any accumulated juices. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover tightly and place the pot in the oven. Braise the lamb for 3 hours, checking periodically to make sure that the liquid is not reducing too quickly. Replinish the pot with additional stock or water if the lamb looks like it is getting too dry.
5. Remove the pot from the oven and allow the sauce to cool slightly before skimming off any accumulated fat. Now is the time to remove any bones. Season the sauce to taste with Kosher salt. The ragù can be refrigerated overnight at this point.
6. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well and add the pasta to the sauce. Toss gently to dress the pasta with the ragù, breaking up any large chunks of lamb into smaller, bite-size pieces. Serve the pasta in bowls and top with ricotta cheese and chopped mint.

Serves 6

I’ll be the first to admit that I was bit skeptical the first time I came across a menu item that featured store-bought soda like Coca-Cola.  Convinced that the ingredient was completely superfluous and included solely for the sake of novelty, it wasn’t until I dug into a plate of tender, fall-of-the-bone, Dr. Pepper braised beef short ribs at the Roaring Fork in Scottsdale, Arizona, that I realized it was no gimmick.

I’d like to say that braising meat with the addition of soda brings a flavor to dishes that is unparalleled in complexity and nuance, but after using it as a medium in other dishes, I’ve found it simply contributes a unique, savory sweetness.  This flavor profile seems especially well suited for a tough, fatty cut of meat like brisket.  Long, slow simmering renders what is otherwise a notoriously chewy cut of beef into an unctuous, meltingly-tender meal that is perfect for the cold months ahead.  In the end, it’s amazing how a tough, budget cut of beef and a handful of cheap pantry ingredients can come together to create a dish that is as satisfying and filling this one. I know it looks like the cover image of a Hungry-Man TV dinner, but trust me, this stuff is comfort food at it’s best.

COCA-COLA BRAISED BEEF BRISKET

Adapted from the April, 2004 issue of Food and Wine Magazine

Keep a close eye on the brisket during the initial searing process as the spice rub is high in sugar and will have the propensity to burn if the heat is not controlled.  Before you place the meat in the oven to braise, tightly cover the pot with a few pieces of aluminum foil to create tight seal before adding the lid.  This dish can be prepared through Step #6 and refrigerated overnight.  This will not only allow you to easily remove any solidified fat from the pan sauce, but will also improve the meat’s overall flavor from a rest overnight in it’s flavorful juices.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• One 2 1/2 – 3 pound beef brisket, trimmed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large onions sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 1 pound carrots, sliced 1/8-inch thick on a bias
• 1 cup coca-cola
• 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
  

METHOD:

1. Combine the brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, cocoa powder, coriander and white pepper in a small bowl.  Make sure the spices are well incorporated and rub the mixture evenly into the beef.  Set the brisket in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat the oven to 325°.  Heat the vegetable oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Place the brisket into the pot, fat side down, and sear the meat until richly browned, about 6 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate.
3. Add the sliced onions to the oil left in the pot and cook until softened, about 12-15 minutes.  Keep the pot covered and stir frequently to prevent burning.  Add the carrots, cover and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 more minutes.  Transfer onions and carrots to a bowl.
4. Deglaze the pan by adding in the coca-cola, tomatoes and ketchup.  Scrape the bottom of the pot with the back of a wooden spoon to dissolve all of the brown, caramelized bits.
5. Carefully add the brisket back to the dutch oven along with any accumulated juices.  Place the carrots and onions around the meat.  If needed, add enough water to keep the meat half-submerged in liquid.  Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil before closing the lid.  Place in the oven to slowly braise for 3 hours.
6. Gently remove the brisket from its braising liquid and allow to rest on a board, tented with aluminum foil for 30 minutes.  Raise the oven temperature to 425°.  Slice the rested meat across the grain into 1/4-inch slices.  Spoon-off any accumulated fat from the top of the juices left in the dutch oven and return the sliced brisket to the pot.
7. Return the pot to the oven, uncovered, and cook until the meat is fork-tender, about 30-40 minutes.  Remove the pot from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes before removing the sliced brisket to a platter.  Spoon over the onions, carrots and sauce and serve immediately.

Serves 5-6

Mac and cheese recipes are a dime a dozen on the net.  If you have a food blog and are even remotely tolerant of dairy, odds are you’ve posted a favorite recipe or unique rendition.  From bacon and blue cheese to truffles and lobster, there are countless offerings out there that claim to offer the ultimate mac and cheese experience. Whether it’s topped with breadcrumbs and baked in the oven or fresh from the stove top, oozing with a gooey melted cheese sauce, I’ve never met a version I haven’t liked.  That being said, in my mind one version stands out among the rest as a truly extraordinary and distinctive twist on the original: green chile mac and cheese.

I first had green chile mac and cheese on a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona for Spring Training with my Dad where we dined at chef Robert McGrath’s flagship, Roaring Fork restaurant.  After amazing, back-to-back dinners we decided to buy the cookbook and attempt to replicate his signature riff on the comfort classic.  Needless to say, the results were a near perfect match.  Simple to prepare, this dish gets it’s deep, smoky flavor from the addition of a puree of roasted poblano chiles.  Add in some heavy cream, a confetti of red bell pepper, sweet corn kernels and a healthy dose of piquant pepper jack cheese and you have a mac and cheese dish worthy of a little excitement.

GREEN CHILE MAC & CHEESE

Adapted from American Western Cooking from the Roaring Fork, by Robert McGrath

Once you have the prep work out of the way, this recipe comes together very quickly.  For instructions on how to roast, peel and puree chiles, check out my recipe for New Mexico Green Chile with Pork. To make this recipe at a moments notice, do what I do and roast extra poblanos to keep on hand in your freezer. Cook the macaroni in a large pot of well-salted, boiling water until al dente.  I like to rinse the pasta under cold running water to halt the cooking process in an effort to maintain as much texture as possible.  This recipe can be doubled very easily and makes a great potluck dish for a large, hungry group of people.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup poblano chile, finely diced
• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
• 2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
• 1/2 cup roasted, peeled, and pureed poblano chile
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup, grated hot pepper jack cheese
• Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

METHOD:

1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the diced poblano chile, red bell pepper, red onion and garlic and sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the corn kernels and sauté briefly.
3. Lower the heat to medium and add the macaroni, poblano puree, cream and pepper jack cheese.  Stir gently until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the cheese is melted.
4. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.  Transfer to a medium bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side

While my Mom is good at cooking many things, my Dad and I both agree that she is especially great at making delicious, comforting soups.  From minestrone and lentil to chicken tortilla and roasted butternut squash, she would be the first to point out that, “it’s kind of hard to screw up soup”.  Ever the modest chef, my Mom’s casual approach to cooking is something I look to emulate in the kitchen on a daily basis.  With a propensity to sweat the small stuff when it comes to recipe components and cooking techniques, it is while making soup that I feel the most at ease.  In fact, I’ve found that soup making can be one of the most relaxing of kitchen tasks.  Throw a bunch of quality ingredients in a pot, simmer low and slow until the flavors come together and you have a simple and satisfying supper with leftovers for the week.

A hearty and warming soup, split pea with ham is one of my all-time favorites for the Fall because of its earthy flavor, rustic texture and tender shreds of smoky pork.  There are countless way to make this comfort classic, but I am particularly fond of adding bit of cream sherry at the end of cooking for a unique, sophisticated sweetness.  This is a very simple soup to prepare and certainly one falls into the category of dishes that are difficult to screw up.

SPLIT PEA SOUP

Adding the dried peas to the pot in two installments guarantees a good amount of texture to the soup.  Be sure to simmer the soup for the entire recommended length of time before adding any salt as the smoked ham hock will contribute a good amount of its own.  The addition of cream sherry at the end of cooking makes for a grown up flavor that slightly sweetens the soup while adding complexity and another dimension of flavor. This soup really thickens after a bit of refrigeration.  When reheating, it’s best to keep some extra stock (or water) on hand to thin down the soup to your desired consistency.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (about one medium onion)
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic (about 1-2 cloves)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano or dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups diced carrots
• 1 cup diced, unpeeled red skin potatoes
  
• 1 pound dried split peas
• 8 cups chicken stock or water
• 1 2 1/2 – 3 1/2 pound bone-in, smoked ham hock
  
• Kosher salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon cream sherry (optional)
  

METHOD:

1. In a 6-quart pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté the onions, garlic, dried herbs and pepper until translucent and soft, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the smoked ham hock and sauté briefly until it begins to color slightly, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the carrots, potatoes and 3/4 of the dried split peas.  Add in the stock or water, bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer uncovered for 40 minutes.  Skim off foam periodically as it collects on the surface.
4. After 40 minutes, add in the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40-50 minutes, stirring every once in a while to make sure that the peas don’t scorch on the bottom of the pot.
5. Carefully remove the ham hock from the hot soup to a clean plate.  Allow the ham to cool slightly before pulling the meat from the bone and shredding it into bite size pieces.
6. Return the shredded ham to the pot and swirl in the optional cream sherry.  Add kosher salt to taste.
   
7. Serve warm in bowls garnished with a Parmesan crouton.
   

Serves 5-6

PARMESAN CROUTONS

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 sourdough baguette
• Olive oil for brushing
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• Finely chopped fresh thyme or oregano

METHOD:

• Preheat the oven to 400º.
• Slice baguette on a bias into 1/4 thick pieces.  Place bread slices on a baking sheet and brush each with olive oil before sprinkling on kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Top each slice with a sprinkling of grated cheese and minced herbs and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
• Serve croutons at room temperature.

As I pointed out in my recipe for the B.E.L.T., canned tuna has long had a negative stigma connected to it.  This was not the case growing up in my family where I was routinely fed tuna melts, tuna salad and one of my all-time childhood favorites, tuna noodle casserole.

This recipe comes from my family’s most cherished cookbooks, San Francisco à la Carte, compiled by the Junior League of San Francisco.  Not only does it contain the recipe for my family’s go-to celebration dessert, Sour Cream Chocolate Cake, but also this unique Bay Area twist on the classic, tuna noodle casserole.

Creamy and comforting, this dish has a surprisingly sophisticated flavor that comes from the addition of a toasted almond topping in place of the customary bread crumbs.  With cold weather around the corner, keep this easy-to-make casserole in mind when you’re looking for something to fill you up and warm your belly.

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

Adapted from San Francisco à la Carte

Putting together this recipe is about as easy as it gets.  In fact, the only real room for error is overcooking the pasta.  To avoid this, fill a large pot with an abundant amount of water and bring to a rolling boil before adding the egg noodles.  Make sure to season the water well — it should taste salty.  Cook until the noodles are almost done as they will continue to cook a bit more in the oven.  Also, using good quality canned tuna and some excellent sharp cheddar cheese will make a world of difference in the flavor of the dish.

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 ounces egg noodles, cooked until al dente and drained
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 1 10 1/2-ounce can of cream of celery soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 7-ounce cans tuna, drained and flaked
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions with some green tops
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted almonds
• Chopped parsley for garnish
  

METHOD:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
   
2. Lightly butter a 2-quart casserole and combine the cooked noodles with the salt and minced thyme.  Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, mix together the milk and canned soup over medium heat until smooth, stirring constantly.  Gently fold in the tuna, celery, red bell pepper, scallions, mayonnaise and all but 2 tablespoons of the grated cheddar.  Stir until the cheese is melted.
4. Add the cheese sauce to the casserole and mix thoroughly with the noodles.   Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and the chopped almonds.
   
5. Bake for about 20 minutes until bubbly and lightly browned.  Garnish with parsley before serving.
   

Serves 6

Having never been to New Mexico, I am by no means an expert on green chili. While I’ve made a Mexican version of chile verde in the past with the addition of tomatillos, this authentic New Mexico version relies exclusively on the smokey, complex flavor of roasted green chiles.

My sister, having visited the Southwest on several occasions, oftentimes regales me with stories “of the best tasting green chili on the planet” and boasts about the fact that you can get “roasted green chilies on anything.”  Judging by how fanatical the inhabitants of the state are about food in general and especially their famous green sauce, I have no doubt that I would fit right in.

Knowing how fascinated I am by the humble, yet satisfying cuisine of he Southwest, one of the first cookbooks my girlfriend ever purchased for me was Huntley Dent’s, The Feast of Santa Fe: Cooking of the American Southwest.  While the picadillo recipe has already become one of our all-time favorite weeknight meals, after preparing this authentic green chili, we just might have discovered our new, slow-cooked Sunday sauce.  If the sound or look of this dish doesn’t get you excited, throw some green chilies in the oven to roast and their intoxicating aroma certainly will.

NEW MEXICO GREEN CHILI WITH PORK

Adapted from Huntley Dent’s, The Feast of Santa Fe: Cooking of the American Southwest

When roasting fresh chilies, I prefer to use the stove top gas burner to char off the skin. However, when dealing with this many chilies, the only feasible kitchen solution is to use the broiler.  After roasting, I typically steam the chilies in a bowl covered tightly in plastic wrap.  For this recipe, I suggest placing them into a paper grocery bag.  Once you’re ready to chop the roasted chile flesh, use a food processor to pulse them down to your desired consistency.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb pork shoulder roast, cut into one-inch cubes
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil or olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons jalapeños, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups chicken or pork broth
• 2 cups roasted and peeled green chilies, obtained from 18 -20 Anaheim, California or poblano chiles
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon salt

METHOD

1. Roast the chilies: Turn your broiler on to high. Begin by placing half of the fresh green chilies on a cookie sheet and placing them under your preheated broiler for 5 minutes, or until the chilies are charred on one side. Remove the pan from the oven and flip chilies to char their underside, about another 5 minutes.  Remove chilies from the oven to a brown paper bag and close tightly to allow the skin to steam away from the flesh. Repeat with the remaining chilies.
2. Once the all the chiles have cooled, remove them from the paper bag and stem the chilies, removing the charred skin and seeds.
3. Place the cleaned, roasted chile flesh to a bowl of a food processor and pulse several times until you have reached your desired texture. Set roasted chiles aside.
4. Brown the Pork: Heat the oil in a large pot over high heat. Lightly season the cubes of pork with salt and add them to the pot, cooking until browned, about 8-10 minutes.  Once browned, remove pork from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off any excess fat, leaving 1/4 cup remaining.
5. Make the green chili: Add the onions, jalapeños and garlic to the remaining oil in the pot. Cover and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes to sweat the onions. Check halfway to make sure they are not browning.
6. Raise the heat to medium and stir in the flour, cumin and black pepper, and cook, stirring for 2 minutes to cook the rawness out of the flour and scrape up any browned bits. When the onion and flour mixture just begin to color, remove the pot from the heat and gradually pour in the broth, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps.
7. Return the pork to the pot along with the roasted chilies, oregano and salt. Place the pot back over moderate heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the sauce has thickened a bit and the pork is tender. Make sure to stir the sauce occasionally while simmering.
8. The finished sauce should be thick enough to nap a spoon. If it’s too thick, thin with a bit of extra broth.
9. Serve with warm flour tortillas.

serves 8

I usually do the cooking in my house, but on a recent trip to the farmers market, my girlfriend stumbled upon a vendor selling what looked to be the last of this season’s tomatoes and was instantly inspired to make this soup. A little overripe, she decided that the still beautiful specimens would taste especially good after roasting in the oven to concentrate their flavor.  Now, I myself am not the biggest tomato soup fan, but I was blown away at how delicious and flavorful the end product became. Somewhere between a tomato bisque and an earthy, slow-cooked tomato sauce, this soup had me sopping up the leftovers from the pot with a piece of toasted sourdough. Perfectly seasoned and especially comforting on a foggy San Francisco evening, my place in the kitchen might be in jeopardy if my girlfriend continues to turn out such satisfying fare.

ROASTED TOMATO SOUP

When roasting the tomatoes and bell peppers keep in mind that you want them to both soften and take on a bit of color. Once the tomatoes were in the pot, Lauren used a spatula to scrape in the residual carmelized bits from the sheet pan and added that as well. To make this more refined, just strain it through a fine mesh sieve before serving.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. ripe tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on the size
  
• 2 large red bell peppers, halved and seeded
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tsp. herbes de provence
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 3 to 4 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
• 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• salt & pepper

METHOD

1. Preheat over to 375°.
2. Coat the tomatoes and bell peppers in a drizzle of olive oil and a hefty pinch of salt and pepper. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from the oven and give the bell peppers a rough chop.
3. Heat 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a small pot. When hot, add the onions and saute over medium heat until golden. Add a pinch of salt, the garlic, the herbes de provence, and the pepper flakes. Stir until fragrant.
4. Using a spatula lift the soft tomatoes from the sheet and add to the onion mixture. Toss in the bell pepper and cook for a minute or two with the tomatoes and onions.
5. Pour in the chicken stock. You’ll want just enough to cover the tomatoes and onions. Bring to simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
6. Once the soup as come together use an immersion blender to blend the soup to your desired consistency. If necessary, feel free to add more chicken stock.
7. Taste for salt and pepper and allow to simmer 5 more minutes.
8. Serve with fresh basil and a drizzle of crème fraÎche or sour cream.

serves 2

Learning to stir-fry properly has taken me a very long time. In fact, I still have a ways to go. What is seemingly the easiest and quickest way to cook is in fact quite difficult to do well.  We’ve all done it at one point or another: soggy, partially cooked vegetables, under-browned meat with no flavor and heavy, copious amounts of grease. No, stir-frying isn’t as easy as Martin Yan and Rachel Ray might have us believe after all. But if you can remember a few simple rules, you can see results on par with some of the best asian takeout spots in your neighborhood.

Simply put, you need to bring the heat. From the second the first item goes into your pan to last moment before it’s plated, you must have your wok or skillet on the largest burner cranked-up as high as it will go. While this might seem intimidating at first, keep in mind that this intense heat will render the most authentic end-product; it’s the closest we home cooks can get to the insane amount of heat created by a 300,000 BTU wok station at a Chinese restaurant.

This recipe is a great one to get your feet wet with high heat stir-frying. Once your prep work is done, this meal comes together in a matter of minutes. Delicious, crispy pork blends perfectly with the crunch of cashews and a floral hit of mint and basil. Salty fish sauce and the bright tang of lime juice and zest elevate the dish beyond your humdrum takeout order, adding a taste that is both pleasant and unique.

Pork Stir-Fry with Cashews, Lime and Mint

Adapted from Nigel Slater’s, Real Food

Remember to keep your pan HOT during the cooking of this dish. It is important to allow the oil in the pan to just reach the point where is begins to smoke before adding your pork. Also, it helps to have your prepped ingredients at room temperature as this will help keep the pan from losing too much heat with addition. Finally, don’t be afraid to brown the pork in two batches if your pan isn’t large enough to accommodate all of the meat. This will ensure that it caramelizes quickly without losing too much moisture in the process.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb pork tenderloin
  
• 6 tablespoons peanut oil
• 3 ounces cashew nuts or peanuts
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 4 small, hot red chiles, finely chopped
• zest and juice of 2 big, juicy limes
• 2 tablespoons nam pla (thai fish sauce)
• a handful of mint leaves chopped
• a handful of basil leaves, torn into shreds

METHOD

Slice the pork tenderloin into pieces about as thick as your little finger, then cut them again into short strips. Get a wok or large sauté pan really hot over a high flame and pour 3 tablespoons of the oil into it. Once the oil is really hot — you will probably hear it crackle — add the pork and cook for three or four minutes, until it is golden brown in patches. Stir it from time to time, otherwise it will not brown properly.

Meanwhile, chop the nuts quite finely. When the meat is browned and sizzling, remove it to a warm plate with any cooking juices, return the wok to the heat and, when it is really hot and smoking, add the remaining oil.  As soon as it is hot, add the spring onions, garlic, ginger and chillies and fry, stirring almost constantly for a minute or two.

Add in the nuts and stir-fry for a minute or two, then return the meat and any juices to the pan. Stir in the lime zest and juice and the fish sauce and fry for two minutes, then stir in the herbs. Serve immediately.

Serves 2 very hungry people or 4 with other courses